the Dalaverse

Haven't done a meme in a while, and I do so like to talk about myself. The rules:

Leave me a comment saying "interview me."
I will ask you five questions.
Post the answers on your lj and then interview your friends!


hils asked...

1. What was your best memory of your time in Southampton?
I could cheat and say the trip to Denmark, which wasn't technically in Southampton. But you try beating a week of sailing Viking reconstructions around a Danish fjord (and lectures and stuff, of course). You can't do it! It cannot be done!

2. Which fanfic story are you most proud of?

This one's really difficult. I have so much fondness for quite a few of them. I'd have to say a tie between 'North and South of the River' or 'For Want of a Nail' (they were written about the same time, and therefore sort of combined in my head), during which I felt like I really grew as a writer; and 'Waking Jack Sparrow' (You Must Remember This)' because it struck a genuine emotional chord and is probably one of the most distictive and original fics I've done.

3. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

So much easier. My mother's beef stew. It's made from a storebought spice mix and I've had other great stews over the years, but I just inhale the stuff every time she makes it (inflict bodily harm on anyone who dares eat my leftovers, lick the spoon, bowl AND pot...) I think she puts crack in it, for serious.

4. When you were a child what did you want to be when you grew up?

The first thing I can remember wanting to be is a paleontologist. I hit the dinosaur stage hard and early. Then I was into ocean mammals for awhile and wanted to be a marine biologist; by the time I hit middle school, I was determined to be a novelist and/or journalist.

5. What is your favourite book of all time and why?

Ack, not fair! The recovering English major in me wants to say The Great Gatsy because of its eternal themes and Fitzgerald's rich language. Baby Dala is demanding that, if not Tamora Pierce's entire Tortall series, then at least The Golden Compass should be considered because it's a perfectly constructed adventure story (much more so than the latter two) with a memorable heroine, which I never get tired or rereading. And in the last few years, I've named Connie Willis' Doomsday Book because it is a terrific, engaging historical-cum-sci-fi novel as well as one of the most gutwrenching stories I have ever read. I'm a character person rather than a plot person, which is reflected in all these choices as well as my own writing, I suspect.


Anyone else want to play?

I'm wearing my little blue shoes again today. I designed this whole outfit just to wear the blue shoes: the new black pants (fabulous in their own right), black t-shirt, white linen blouse (which was buried in my closet because I have a suspicion of its inherent wrinkling qualities, but it's the only white button-down shirt I own). And my blue Caribbean necklace to go with the shoes. It's like blackblackwhite - BLUE! I just feel a little bit happier every time I look down at my feet. Also, I've just discovered this dude Ray LaMontagne on Pandora and I think I'm in musical love, y'all.